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Children
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Promoting Breastfeeding and Human Milk in Infants
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Promoting Breastfeeding and Human Milk in Infants

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Neonatology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 March 2025 | Viewed by 6570

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Pasqua Anna Quitadamo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Neonatology–Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
Interests: neonatal nutrition; human milk bank; neonatal care; neonatology and neonatal resuscitation
Prof. Dr. Luigi Corvaglia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Interests: neonatal intensive care; neonatal gastroenterology; neonatal nutrition

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Breast milk is considered by the scientific community and all institutions dealing with pediatric health as an important element of well-being in the short and long term for newborns. For premature babies, it is considered a life-saving drug, thanks to the protective effect against the main complications of prematurity and, when the mother's milk is not available, the second nutritional option is the donated milk from to milk banks. Extensive use of maternal milk results in healthier children and adults. For this reason, many states have adopted breastfeeding promotion measures that led to higher percentages over the years, but the objectives established worldwide have not yet been achieved. Worrying breastfeeding rates are recorded in low-income countries. Studies relating to human milk, both regarding its composition and the correlation between bioactive factors and the prevention of pathologies, as well as the use of donated milk, are welcome, but also studies analyzing the state of the art in breastfeeding and the factors that have been shown to be effective in promoting breastfeeding and the use of human milk.

We welcome you to submit your work to this Special Issue to help increase the general awareness regarding the promotion of breastfeeding and human milk in infants.

Dr. Pasqua Anna Quitadamo
Prof. Dr. Luigi Corvaglia
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • breastfeeding
  • human milk
  • infant feeding
  • bioactive factors
  • human milk composition
  • breastfeeding promotion
  • human milk banking

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 2614 KiB  
Article
The Unsung Heroes: The Profile of the Donor at a Southern Italian Milk Bank and Driving Factors in Human Milk Donation
by Pasqua Anna Quitadamo, Laura Comegna, Federica Zambianco, Giuseppina Palumbo, Massimiliano Copetti, Maria Assunta Gentile, Antonio Mondelli, Isadora Beghetti and Luigi Corvaglia
Children 2024, 11(12), 1502; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11121502 - 10 Dec 2024
Viewed by 435
Abstract
Background/Objectives: One of the most effective strategies to mitigate morbidity associated with preterm birth is the use of human milk. The first choice is the mother’s milk; if that is not available, human milk donated to milk banks is the second choice. The [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: One of the most effective strategies to mitigate morbidity associated with preterm birth is the use of human milk. The first choice is the mother’s milk; if that is not available, human milk donated to milk banks is the second choice. The recruitment of milk donors is essential for enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of donation. This study aims to profile the donors of a southern Italian milk bank, examine how maternal and neonatal factors impacted the volume and duration of donation and analyze the trend over the last ten years. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from the milk bank database and hospitalization medical records, encompassing 593 donors and 13 years of activity of the Human Milk Bank from 2010 to 2022. Several variables were assessed: maternal characteristics—maternal age, employment status and the type of profession; pre and perinatal characteristics—type of delivery, parity, previous breastfeeding experience, birth weight and gestational age; milk donation characteristics—volume of milk donated and duration of donation. The trend of the characteristics was studied over time. Statistical correlations were conducted to assess the relationships between variables and the volume and duration of the milk donation. Results: In our cohort of donors, the most prevalent category consists of women over 30 years of age who are multiparous, have prior breastfeeding experience, are workers and have given birth to full-term babies. Maternal age and gestational age significantly influence both the volume and duration of milk donation. The type of delivery and occupation impact the volume of donated milk. There has been a decline in the number of donors over time. However, the trends in both the quantity and duration of milk donations have remained stable over the past decade, with the exception of the year immediately following the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: We have outlined the prevailing average profile of the milk donor to a milk bank in Southern Italy. Factors impacting the volume and duration of donation, such as maternal age, occupation, type of delivery and gestational age, were identified. The volume and duration of donations have remained largely stable, with the exception of 2021, when the pandemic significantly reduced milk donations to the milk bank. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Breastfeeding and Human Milk in Infants)
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11 pages, 666 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Breastfeeding Practices of Undernourished Mothers in Rural Sierra Leone on Infant Growth and Mortality
by Aminata Shamit Koroma, Kevin B. Stephenson, Per O. Iversen, Mark J. Manary and David Taylor Hendrixson
Children 2024, 11(2), 233; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11020233 - 10 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1741
Abstract
Breastfeeding provides optimal infant nutrition; however, <50% of infants are exclusively breastfed (EBF) for 6 months. We aimed to describe breastfeeding practices and their effects on growth and mortality among a high-risk mother-infant cohort in rural Sierra Leone. This was a secondary analysis [...] Read more.
Breastfeeding provides optimal infant nutrition; however, <50% of infants are exclusively breastfed (EBF) for 6 months. We aimed to describe breastfeeding practices and their effects on growth and mortality among a high-risk mother-infant cohort in rural Sierra Leone. This was a secondary analysis of data from a randomized nutrition intervention trial among undernourished pregnant women. The study’s primary outcomes were infant weight and length gains at 6 weeks of age. We included 1270 singleton infants in the analysis, with 1092 (85.6%) having 24-week outcome data. At 6 weeks, 88% were EBF, but the rate of EBF decreased to 17% at 24 weeks. The EBF infants at 6 weeks had improved length (difference of 0.9 mm/week; 95% CI 0.4 to 1.3; p < 0.001) and weight (difference of 40 g/week; 95% CI 24 to 53; p < 0.001) gains compared to the non-EBF infants. At 12 weeks, the EBF infants had improved weight (difference of 12 g/week; 95% CI 2 to 22; p = 0.024) gain. The EBF infants had lower mortality than the infants who were not EBF (hazard ratio of 0.39; 95% CI 0.18 to 0.84; p = 0.017). In summary, the infants who were EBF had greater weight and length gain and reduced mortality than those who were not EBF. Efforts to improve breastfeeding should thus be prioritized to improve infant health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Breastfeeding and Human Milk in Infants)
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16 pages, 2664 KiB  
Article
High-Fat, High-Calorie Breast Milk in Women with Overweight or Obesity and Its Association with Maternal Serum Insulin Concentration and Triglycerides Levels
by Michael G. Ross, Manasa P. Kavasery, MacKenzie K. Cervantes, Guang Han, Bernardo Horta, Kelly P. Coca, Suleyma O. Costa and Mina Desai
Children 2024, 11(2), 141; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11020141 - 23 Jan 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2538
Abstract
The childhood obesity epidemic continues to be a challenge. Maternal obesity and excessive infant weight gain are strong predictors of childhood obesity, which itself is a major risk factor for adult obesity. The primary source of nutrition during early life is breast milk, [...] Read more.
The childhood obesity epidemic continues to be a challenge. Maternal obesity and excessive infant weight gain are strong predictors of childhood obesity, which itself is a major risk factor for adult obesity. The primary source of nutrition during early life is breast milk, and its composition is impacted by maternal habitus and diet. We thus studied the relationship between maternal BMI, serum lipids and insulin, and breast milk fat and calorie content from foremilk to hindmilk. Women who were exclusively breastfeeding at 7–8 weeks postpartum were BMI classified as Normal (18.5–24.9, n = 9) and women with Overweight/Obese (OW/OB ≥ 25, n = 13). Maternal blood and continuous breast milk samples obtained from foremilk to hindmilk were analyzed, and infant milk intake was assessed. Women with OW/OB had significantly higher milk fat and calorie content in the first foremilk and last hindmilk sample as compared to Normal BMI women. Amongst all women, maternal serum triglycerides, insulin, and HOMA were significantly correlated with foremilk triglyceride concentration, suggesting that maternal serum triglyceride and insulin action contribute to human milk fat content. As the milk fat content of OW/OB women has caloric implications for infant growth and childhood obesity, these results suggest the potential for modulating milk fat content by a reduction in maternal serum lipids or insulin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Breastfeeding and Human Milk in Infants)
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Review

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14 pages, 895 KiB  
Review
Role of Human Milk Microbiota in Infant Neurodevelopment: Mechanisms and Clinical Implications
by Valentina Biagioli, Vincenzo Sortino, Raffaele Falsaperla and Pasquale Striano
Children 2024, 11(12), 1476; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11121476 - 30 Nov 2024
Viewed by 690
Abstract
Background: Human milk (HM) is recognized as an ideal source of nutrition for newborns; as a result, its multiple bioactive molecules can support the growth of healthy newborns and reduce the risk of mortality and diseases such as asthma, respiratory infections, diabetes (type [...] Read more.
Background: Human milk (HM) is recognized as an ideal source of nutrition for newborns; as a result, its multiple bioactive molecules can support the growth of healthy newborns and reduce the risk of mortality and diseases such as asthma, respiratory infections, diabetes (type 1 and 2), and gastrointestinal disorders such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Furthermore, it can reduce the severity of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm infants. Moreover, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) present in breast milk show an immunomodulatory, prebiotic, and neurodevelopmental effect that supports the microbiota–gut–brain axis. Material and methods: This study examined the state-of-the-art research, using keywords such as “breastfeeding”, “human milk oligosaccharides”, “microbiota–gut–brain axis”, “infants”, and “malnutrition”. The literature review was conducted by selecting articles between 2013 and 2024, as the most recent ones. The databases used were Web Science, PubMed, and Scopus. Results: We found multiple studies examining the composition of HM and infant formula (IF). However, further longitudinal studies and randomized control trials (RCTs) are needed to better understand the clinical outcomes that bioactive components exert on healthy and hospitalized children and how, in conditions of malnutrition, it is necessary to support the growth of the newborn. Conclusions: In this review, we affirm the importance of human milk and, through it, the modulation of the microbiota and the neuroprotective role in newborns, determining the health of the following years of life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Breastfeeding and Human Milk in Infants)
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